Nerve Impulse Activity
Background InformationThe nervous system controls and coordinates functions throughout the body and response to internal and external stimuli. The messages carried by the nervous system are electrical signals called impulses. The cells that transmit these impulses are called neurons. Neurons can be classified in three types: Sensory, Motor and Interneuron. Sensory neurons carry impulses from the sense organ to the spinal cord and brain Motor neurons carry impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscle and glands. Interneurons connect the sensory and motor neurons and carry impulses between them
An impulse begins when a neuron is stimulated by another neuron or by the environment.
Purpose: To determine the speed of transmission (impulse) by dividing the distance your message had to travel by the time.
Materials: whistle, stop watch, calculator, meter stick
Hypothesis: (Choose one and record)
Copy down the following chart in your journal.
An impulse begins when a neuron is stimulated by another neuron or by the environment.
Purpose: To determine the speed of transmission (impulse) by dividing the distance your message had to travel by the time.
Materials: whistle, stop watch, calculator, meter stick
Hypothesis: (Choose one and record)
- If the distance among the student is shortened then the transmission of the impulse will be faster.
- If the distance of the students is longer then the transmission of the impulse will be faster.
Copy down the following chart in your journal.
- Join hands with students in an open area.
- The first student’s should have a stopwatch. The teacher should have a whistle or a verbal cue.
- Measure the distance (meters) from the first student to the teacher.
- The first student hits the “starter” on the stopwatch and squeezes the second student’s hand at the same time.
- When that student feels the squeeze, he or she should squeeze the next student in line.
- When the squeeze has reached the last student in the line, he or she should blow the whistle or give their verbal cue.
- When student #1 hears the whistle or verbal cue, (s)he hits “stop” and records the time
- Repeat several times, with fewer amounts of students each time.
Analysis
Record answers in your journal.
- What types of neurons carry impulses from the sense organ to the spinal cord and brain?
- What types of neurons carry impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscle and glands?
- What type of neuron connects the sensory and motor neurons and carry impulses between them?
- Was your hypothesis correct? Why?
- If you could change anything in the experiment what would it be?
- Electrical messages in wires travel a million times faster than messages down nerves. How are the two alike? How are they different?